You should purchase over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to your baby with out a prescription out of your physician. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply these medicines are innocent. If they’re taken the incorrect means, they will make your baby really feel worse and might even be dangerous. Learn by this checklist of dos and don’ts to be sure you are giving your baby OTC cough and chilly medication safely.
Dos
- Do discover ways to learn and perceive all components of the medication’s drug information label.
- Do search for a medication that can deal with solely the signs your baby has. For instance, in case your baby solely has a runny nostril, don’t choose a medication that additionally treats headache and fever.
- Do use the proper measuring system (for instance, a spoon, syringe, or cup made for measuring medication) when giving your baby the proper dose.
- Do learn the medication’s label rigorously. Be aware of any particular directions, corresponding to meals or actions your baby ought to keep away from whereas taking the medication.
- Do ensure that everybody who takes care of your baby (corresponding to college nurses, day care employees, prolonged relations, or babysitters) is aware of what medicines your baby is taking and when their dosing schedule.
- Do retailer medicines of their authentic packages to maintain monitor of essential labels and expiration dates.
- Do retailer all medicines up and away, out of the sight and attain of younger kids.
- Do hold medicines in a cool, dry place. It will assist stop them from changing into much less efficient earlier than their expiration dates.
Don’ts
- Don’t give OTC cough and chilly medicines to a baby youthful than 4 years of age until your baby’s physician says it’s okay.
- Don’t share your grownup OTC medication along with your baby. OTC medicines made only for adults will be dangerous for youngsters. As soon as your baby is an adolescent, they could be sufficiently old and large enough to take grownup OTC medicines, however test with your loved ones physician first.
- Don’t give aspirin or a medication that accommodates aspirin (test the “lively substances” part of the drug information label) to a baby youthful than 18 years of age. Aspirin may cause a severe sickness known as Reye syndrome whether it is given to kids.
- Don’t mix prescription medicines with OTC medicines until your baby’s physician says it’s okay.
- Don’t use greater than 1 OTC cough and chilly medication on the similar time until your baby’s physician says it’s okay. They could have related lively substances that add as much as be an excessive amount of medication. For instance, many OTC medicines comprise acetaminophen and antihistamines.
- Don’t use an OTC medication after its expiration date.
- Don’t retailer medicines in loos or lavatory cupboards, which are sometimes scorching and humid.
- Don’t wait too lengthy to take your baby to the physician. Chilly signs ought to get higher rapidly, and OTC medicines are solely meant for short-term use. In case your baby has been taking an OTC medication for a number of days and their signs appear to be getting worse, name your physician.
- Don’t give your baby cough or chilly medication simply to make her or him sleepy. This can be a facet impact of some substances, corresponding to antihistamines, in cough and chilly medicines. In case your baby has bother falling asleep, discuss to your loved ones physician about different issues you are able to do to assist your baby sleep higher.
Inquiries to ask your physician
- Ought to I ask my physician which over-the-counter medication to make use of earlier than I give it to my baby?
- Is expired medication dangerous or simply ineffective?
- What negative effects ought to I search for when giving my baby over-the-counter medication?
- Are generics okay to make use of?
Assets
U. S. Food and Drug Administration: Should You Give Kids Medicine for Coughs and Colds?
National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus: Medicines and Children
Copyright © American Academy of Household Physicians
This info gives a normal overview and should not apply to everybody. Discuss to your loved ones physician to search out out if this info applies to you and to get extra info on this topic.
